A rare and significant drawing attributed to Henry Moore will feature in the upcoming Unique Auctions sale on Sunday 24th May, offering collectors an opportunity to acquire a piece connected to one of Britain’s most celebrated sculptors.
The work is believed to be Drawing for Metal Sculpture (1937), listed by the Henry Moore Foundation as catalogue number HMF 1314.
Created in 1937, the drawing is an exceptional example of Moore’s experimental approach to form and structure during a key period in his artistic development. Executed in charcoal, pastel, watercolour wash, brush and ink, pen and ink, and chalk on cream heavyweight wove paper, the piece demonstrates the layered and highly physical drawing techniques Moore used to develop sculptural ideas.
Measuring 398 x 562 mm and signed and dated Moore/37 in pen and ink, the work belongs to an important sequence of drawings (HMF 1311 to HMF 1315) exploring ideas for metal sculpture. According to the Henry Moore Foundation, the recorded location of the original work is currently listed as unknown, and the drawing coming to auction is believed to be that piece, making its appearance at sale particularly notable.
The Foundation notes that this colourful work was once in the collection of Moore’s wife, Irina Moore, until some point in the 1960s. It also stands out as the only drawing in this series that has been closely examined by cataloguers for its varied use of media, with experts believing the related drawings in the sequence were created using similarly rich combinations of materials.
Created during a period when Moore was increasingly exploring abstraction and the relationship between internal and external form, the drawing shows the artist working through sculptural concepts on paper, long before they took three-dimensional form.
For collectors of modern British art, sculpture, and museum-level works on paper, this represents an important and rare opportunity.
Reference: Henry Moore Foundation
Auction Details
The Henry Moore drawing will be offered as part of Unique Auctions’ sale on Sunday 24th May at its Lincoln salerooms.
Bidding will be available in the room, online, and by absentee bid.
Viewing Friday 21st May 9am-4pm and morning of auction from 8am
Please call 01522 690444 for private viewings.
About Unique Auctions
Unique Auctions is a leading Lincoln auction house specialising in antiques, fine art, jewellery, silver, watches, collectables, toys, and specialist themed sales, attracting bidders from across the UK and around the world.
